ILLINOIS PETROLEUM RESOURCES BOARD
INCREASING AWARENESS - RESTORING THE LAND
A Novel Process for Brine Remediation
at an Illinois site
Charles L. Williams
Executive Director
Illinois Petroleum Resources Board
Prepared for the 22nd IPEC Conference
November 17-19, 2015
Illinois Petroleum Resources Board (IPRB)
Restoration
IPRB expertise and industry provided funding is
utilized in the clean-up and restoration of
abandoned oilfield sites in Illinois. IPRB's goal is
to restore abandoned sites previously used for
oil and gas production back to commercial or
agricultural use at no cost to current land
owners.
Brine Scars
Brine damage is caused by salt water intrusion into soil resulting in increased salinity
and loss of soil structure.
The loss of soil structure is caused by an increase in the concentration of sodium ion
(sodicity).
This in turn, unsets the balance of calcium ion and causes the soil (usually clay) to
lose its integrity thus, interdicting the ability of the soil to transport water.
In saline soil plants cannot get water and die of drought and the soil seals over with
a hardpan preventing water infiltration. This leaves a “brine scar” devoid of
vegetation and subject to erosion.
Traditional Brine Remediation
•
•
•
Soil Excavation and Replacement but…
- unreliable…How do you know what the operator brings in for
replacement?
Cultivation of the site and the incorporation of gypsum and fertilizer as
amendments but…
- was there sufficient soil sampling to document the initial and
subsequent conditions at the site?
- brine components at depth will rise vertically by capillary suction into
this zone when soils dry out
- amendments can only go as deep as the agricultural tools instead of
as deep as the salt is located
Sometimes irrigation is planned but…
- traditionally “Mother Nature” is the only water source.
Brine-Buster™
•
A novel process of rapid delivery of amendments and fresh water to
exactly where the salts are located, resulting in increased infiltration and
reduction of salinity.
•
A “green” alternative to excavation and off-site disposal.
•
Cool-Ox® is a patented, field proven technology for efficiently treating soil
and groundwater impacted with petroleum hydrocarbons, and
halogenated organics. Now Cool-Ox Brine Buster offers a unique delivery
system for amendments that allows deep injection of amendments and
intense mixing.
Brine-Buster™
•
Cool-Ox
Brine
Buster
amendments consists of
•
Rapid and slow-release
sources of calcium
•
Chelating
agents
to
maintain calcium in an
active form
•
An
amendment
to
encourage mixing on a
small scale
•
An injectable source of
organic matter to hold
moisture and help rebuild
fertility
•
All coupled with a highpressure delivery system
and fresh water injection
Treatment
Brine Scar
Treatment
Demonstration Site in IL
The Demonstration Site
•
The salt embedded with high concentrations at 6-7 feet bgs.
•
A layer of clay at approximately 6 feet.
•
Average EC of the site was between 26 mS/cm to about 49
mS/cm
•
West end of site is 100 ft from a creek
Approval Process
Step 1:
A meeting was between DTI and the Illinois Petroleum Resource
Board (IPRB) to learn about the site, explain the technology and
application methods.
Step 2:
Provide remedial design and costs
Step 3:
Finalize design and implementation dates with the IPRB and the
subcontractor, Dee Drilling, responsible for the trenching.
Site Plan
•
DTI positioned the treatment at
the down gradient section of a
brine scar approximately 210
feet long by 38 feet wide.
•
This area encompasses 525 ft.²
to a treatment depth of
approximately 5 1/2 feet.
•
Because of the potential to
impact groundwater, the salt
water displaced during the
treatment was captured by a
down gradient trench/sump
combination.
Drains
•
The trenching was completed by a subcontractor experienced
with the client. The trench was approximately 24 inches wide by
24 feet long with a 7 foot extension constructed along the
southeast barrier of the brine scar. This is to capture any salt water
that may escape from the treatment area to the surrounding
clean soil.
•
The trench was constructed with a 1/2 inch per foot gradient to
assure drainage from the treatment area to the collection sump.
Trench Installation
Application
•
DeepEarth’s Hydro-Dart™ injection system not only delivers reagents to
deep contaminated soil but also mechanically opens the soil to improve
leachability of salts.
•
The water that the reagent’s components are suspended in during
injection provides the first wave of fresh water to wash salts out of the soil.
Application
Collection in the sump tank
Cool-Ox® Brine-Buster™ Injection Application
with DTI’s Hydro-Dart™ near the sump tank
Note foaming and
resulting mixing on
small scale in the
subsurface
Post Application
To retain moisture in the treatment area, hay was put down.
Post Application Data
Treatment occurred on 4/18/15.
Alka Soil Data
All depth levels
18
16
EC (mS/cm)
14
12
10
8
6
4
Pretreatment
5/15/15
Date
8/18/15
Post Application Data
Alka Soil Data
All depth levels
55
50
45
SAR
40
35
30
25
20
15
Pretreatment
5/15/15
Date
8/18/15
Post Application Data
Treatment Occurred on 4/28/15
Drains are receiving leachate from outside the
treatment area.
Results to Date
•
Significant progress (statistically valid results) but we have a ways to go
•
The change in average EC at the site, over a 72-inch depth, is consistent with
the amount of water introduced at the site over the 3 months ending 8/1/15
(precipitation + water from original treatment).
•
The average decrease in EC observed would require 15.9" of
precipitation. Over the first 3 months we got 10.3" from rainfall and the original
treatment was equivalent to 3.1".
•
Over this period we should have collected about 85 kg of salt. We actually
collected over 1,000 kg in the sump…92% more than expected!
•
Over this period we should have collected around 4300 gallons
of leachate. We actually collected over 20,000 gallons…79% more than
expected!
•
Isolation trench is in hydraulic communication with drain system
Conclusion
•
EC and SAR reductions indicated good contact between calcium sources
and fresh water with the treated depth interval.
•
EC reductions indicate full utilization of the fresh water available in the treated
area.
•
Isolation trenches need to be considerably deeper that the drains.
•
Irrigate the site! Fresh water is the key. Good mixing and contacting ensures
full utilization of that fresh water.
Charles L. Williams
Executive Director
ilprb@yahoo.com
IL Petroleum Resources Board
PO. Box 941
824 E IL Hwy 15
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864
P (618)242-2861
F (618)242-3418
www.iprb.org
Brine-Buster™
for Environmental
Restoration
Acknowledgements
J. Roy Dee, III, President, Dee Drilling Co., 431 N Market St, Mt Carmel, IL 62863
Kerry Sublette, Ph.D, Sarkeys Professor of Environmental Engineering, Professor of
Chemical Engineering, University of Tulsa, OK
William Lundy, Sr., Sr. Vice President, DeepEarth Technologies, Inc., Alsip, IL
Dale Helpingstine, Vice Chairman Environmental, Illinois Petroleum Resource Board
David Simmons, Vice Chairman, Illinois Petroleum Resource Board
Jack Jenkins, Restoration Committee, Illinois Petroleum Resource Board
Michael Payne, Restoration Committee, Illinois Petroleum Resource Board
Brad Richards, Executive Vice President of the Illinois Oil and Gas Association
Representatives from Natural Resources Conservation Services